


Duly Noted

by moltres (ideallyqualia)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: Canon Universe, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-16 09:26:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4620150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ideallyqualia/pseuds/moltres
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Red grows to notice the details. In their journeys, it ties them together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Duly Noted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Reishiin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reishiin/gifts).



> I don't usually write pokémon, and I had fun with this, so thank you for the opportunity to write pokémon, it was refreshing! I'm used to calling the rival Green, I hope you don't mind that, Reishiin. This was written with LeafGreen/FireRed details. I also wrote them in mind as teenagers, but I don't think that matters.

There was something unbelievable in the way coincidence kept drawing Red and Green together. Green always lost every battle against Red, but he was so convinced that it was a fluke in the moment -- a flicker of luck weighing on Red's side, a blip of timing that left Red's team more rested than Green's, or a small mistake on Green's part, a mistake he wouldn't make next time. It was true that Red didn't win battles in landslides, he won them with a subtle edge that infuriated Green, consistently pushing the boundaries between strategy and impulse in a way Green couldn't maintain. Green was impatient.     

Green was so, so impatient. Red could tell. Green was impatient in drawing out his pokémon's power, impatient in getting to a gym first or finding out new information before Red did. Green handed him leftover advice and supplies with the pretense of good-natured sportsmanship, huffing and discarding them, explaining that he had better supplies and superior knowledge, and he could afford to let Red have some.

"Alright," Red said, standing in the middle of a sidewalk in Cerulean City, his hands weighed down by a few pokéballs Green had just dispensed.

"Alright? That's it?" Green sighed. "Whatever. I don't need those anymore. I only use great balls now." He waved his hand, more dismissive than cordial. "See ya later." 

"It's a promise," Red said.

Green stopped in his step and turned. "No, it's not. I'll see you when I see you."

"You keep bumping into me."

" _You're_ the one who keeps finding  _me._ " Green stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Fine. I won't see you at all. I don't think you can keep up, anyway. And even if you do, I'll duck." 

"Then how are we going to battle?" 

Green's nose twisted, mouth tight in irritation, and Red had to quietly hold back his laughter, restraining it to his trembling shoulders.

" _Bye_."

The door slid open to the pokémon center, and Red watched him enter, hands still fisted in his sweater pockets, head stiff above his shoulders. Red had just come from there, so he walked away to Route 25 for another round of battles with pokémon and trainers.

Crossing the bridge was a pain, swarmed with trainers that had nothing better to do than stand on a bridge for crowded battles, but Red was satisfied with giving his pokémon experience and winning gold. He continued to Cerulean Cape, and after leaving Bill's sea cottage, Red came to a stop in front of the body of water. Pidgey was shifting restlessly on his shoulder, and Red could tell he was thirsty from the insistent pull and head gestures toward the water. 

Red crouched down, and Pidgey hopped off with a chirp, wings flapping to soften the jump. Pidgey stepped through the grass and dipped his head down to drink.

"It's so predictable."

Red glanced up and saw Green standing next to the water in front of him, looking down from his straightened height, head tipped down for eye contact.

"You're really predictable," Green continued. "Stop following me."

"I was here first." 

"Yeah, well, so?"

Red got to his feet, and he dusted himself off. Pidgey was still content with his beak in the water. "I was just leaving."

"So was I."

"Why did you come to Cerulean Cape?" Red asked. "There's no trainers here." 

"I just wanted to see it. It's nothing special." Green's shoulders settled with his sigh. "It's boring here. There's just this little pond."

A beeping sound rung out, and Green shuffled through his pockets until he pulled out a small sleek red device. The screen lit up, and Green pressed on a few buttons. 

"This thing is annoying. I think you activated it by saying Cerulean Cape." Green's mouth suddenly went slack, eyes hard, and he shoved it into Red's hands. "Gramps gave me this fame checker, but you know, I don't want it anymore." 

Green span away and took off, leaning into a brisk pace with determination that made Red really curious about what Green just gave him. If it was a device given by Professor Oak, then it had to have some value. 

Red scrolled through some of the entries. Everything listed was about trainers; it was a catalogue of information on famous people. It reminded Red of his pokédex. It came from the same person, after all.

Some of the information looked completely useless. Red didn't want to know what a stranger's favorite food was. Favorite pokémon would be helpful for a battle, but Red didn't have the foresight to remember tedious details. Red went ahead and just typed Cerulean Cape in the search bar.

The first subentry was about Misty. 

"Cerulean Cape -- Route 25. Known as a hotspot for young romance, Misty has popularized the cape for her own dates."

Red slipped the device in his pocket right away. On his own he wouldn't have picked up on anything, but the way Green ran away made Red reconsider,  _known as a hotspot for young romance._ Green's impatience really ran wild if he jumped to the embarrassing part immediately.

Pidgey cheeped and flicked his head up. Red didn't bend down to accommodate him, still twitching from his thoughts, so Pidgey fluttered to his arm and climbed his way to Red's shoulder, perching there comfortably.

Red walked back to Cerulean City in silence, sharper silence than usual.

 

* * *

 

Red sat in his seat with the fame checker in hand, fiddling his fingers on the edges. He found out that it could accept new entries even if they were self-written, typed on the fly instead of connecting to a computer. Red didn't know how to update it, but he was still turning the last instance with Green heavily in his mind. He wasn't going to ask.

Currently, the fame checker was showing the latest entry.

"Green Oak -- Grandson of Professor Oak."

It was all Red wanted to type. He didn't know what else to write, but he felt tempted to make an entry just for Green, so he did. Every person in the device had their own entry, but each one spawned a grouping of smaller entries, like the way Cerulean Cape came up for Misty. 

It was all Red wanted to type, but honestly he felt embarrassed wanting to write more. Writing something colored by experience felt like a trap in a way, writing as if he was closer to Green than random text on the internet falling into his hands.

Red stepped outside of his cabin, Pidgeotto cooing on his shoulder and preening himself as he walked. Red didn't intend to stay on the S.S. Anne for long, but the premise of trainers on board itching for a battle drew Red.

He should have known that it would draw Green, too. Red bristled at the sight of Green at a corner of the hallway, but he bristled more from the fact that he was considering this in the context of his fame checker, forming a new entry in his head: Green would appear where strong trainers did.

"You again." Green's eyes slid to the side, taking in Pidgeotto. "Congratulations on your pokémon's evolution, I guess."

"Thanks." Red kept his arms still at his sides, motionless aside from Pidgeotto's movements jostling him. 

"...Are we going to battle or what?" Green asked. The hesitation confirmed it to Red; Green was still thinking about the last time, being caught alone together at a date spot.

Red shrugged. "I'm ready."

Green wrung his wrists and called out a pokémon. The hallway cleared of passengers, giving them space to battle. Some of them hung around to watch, but Red barely registered them. He was only looking at Green and the pokémon, Pidgeotto flapping above Green's Growlithe.  

Green had the confidence of a champion, not quite the poise of a generous one but he had the charisma, the persuasive air that Red was sure drew in the spectators. Red could battle, but as a person he was plain. He couldn't put on a show.

Green still lost. 

He tucked his pokéballs away, frowning with the movement. "Predictable, but you still keep winning…" Green trailed off. "I don't know what to think."

"You can always try again later," Red said. He didn't want Green to win -- no trainer would want their opponent to win without extraordinary circumstance -- but if victory was Green's motivation, then Green's tenacity could be Red's motivation, in a way.  

"Later," Green said idly, and Red didn't know if he was agreeing or just repeating Red's words. Green walked away slowly, mulling over to himself the implication of a next time.

 

* * *

 

Red didn't understand how he got involved in the Team Rocket mess. He was interested in fighting trainers, but rocket members kept cropping up everywhere, in cities and forests when Red was just trying to travel. He gained notoriety among them as a trainer to be avoided or taken down, but all he wanted was to battle. And occasionally help out a citizen that had their money or pokémon stolen. 

Red managed to battle them alone, without bumping into Green, and that coincidence ended the day he stepped into Saffron City and walked up the stairs to Silph Co.'s headquarters.

The building was crawling with rocket grunts. He had a large stock of potions and recovery items now, but he still needed to take a break. Every one in the building knew who he was by now, and they were all vying to turn him in or at least kick him out.

Red paused after one staircase, slightly bent from the waist to rest against the wall. Pidgeot was shuffling on the floor, talons clacking as he settled into a resting posture. Neither of them saw any grunts on this part of the floor, so they took the chance to breathe. 

"What a surprise," someone said, and Red almost fell in true surprise. He stumbled back onto his feet and looked up.

"Green?"

Green didn't bother confirming himself. He glanced around as he stepped away from the stairs, hand falling on the wall. "I heard someone was causing a stir among the whiny thieves, so I came to take a look." He grunted. "Should've known who it was." He waved vaguely over Red.

"Why would you come take a look?"

Green turned his head. "Battling is all about competition, you know, even off the battlefield. I wanted to see who the big deal was that could threaten Team Rocket single-handedly." 

"It's a battle off the battlefield…?" Red asked. He straightened himself off the wall.

Green crossed his arms. "I'm going for the Pokémon League. There can only be one champion, and I'm not about to let someone take it before me."

Red didn't know how to respond to that. He stayed silent, and he motioned at Pidgeot to come closer. Pidgeot was starting to wander off.

"Are you going to leave now?"

Green scratched at his neck. "I was going to battle you, but since it's just _you_ …" Green sighed. "Who cares. You already dragged yourself up through this place. If I won, it wouldn't be a real win."

"That's nice of you."

Green's foot came to the floor. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not here to help or anything. I'm just going to battle some." 

"Be my guest. There's way too many for me."

Green's lips pressed together at the light gratitude, the undeniable fact that Green was helping him fight rocket grunts.

He took a step towards the end of the hallway. "See you at the top."

"You'll probably get there first," Red said. "Since I'm always following you."

Red didn't mean for that to sound soft, a veiled suggestion instead of a parody of Green's own words. Green looked stiff again, like the time they separated at Cerulean Cape. 

"You're just slow," Green snapped. "You could be in the lead if you tried. I could be following you."

"I never felt behind." 

They fell quiet, confused by what they just said to each other. It didn't sound like provocation between rivals. It sounded like the connection between equals.

"Shut up," Green said eventually. He walked away, and Red didn't miss his kick at the floor, the hunched shoulders shielding his embarrassment and hurried pace underlying the way his feet alternated on the floor. 

Red sat down. Pidgeot looked over his shoulder as he typed in the fame checker, another note tacked on to Green Oak.

Green had the most entries out of everyone else. 

**Author's Note:**

> (General A/N that exists at the end of all my fics): I find unsolicited concrit really rude, I'm not looking for any. Please don't tell me someone was OOC/something happened you didn't like/it's too short/etc. in any bookmarks or comments.


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